China’s President Xi Jinping said on Sunday that the country must ensure grain security and reliance on the domestic market to maintain production, state broadcaster CCTV reported.

China should guarantee capacity at home and import grains“appropriately”, Xi said at a meeting with delegates from the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), an advisory body to parliament.

“We must not think the problem of food is not as essential as entering into industrialization, and must not rely on the international market,” Xi was quoted as saying.

Xi’s comments came amid disruption to the global grain supply chain from the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, two top grain growers. China has been stepping up its focus on food security since the coronavirus pandemic.

Xi told the CPPCC delegates that China needs to stabilise food and corn production, and to expand output of soybean and oilseeds so as to make sure “Chinese bowls are mainly filled with Chinese food”.

He also urged development of the seed industry to help realise self-reliance, saying seed security is “related to national security”, according to CCTV.